“Already this year, we have seen a significant number of assaults on our operators,” says Gavin Davies with the union. “Last week in Surrey, we saw two stabbings — one on-board a bus and one where the two passengers got off the bus and got into an altercation on a SkyTrain platform.”

Back in 2006, 242 drivers were assaulted.

“Anybody would be shocked to hear how many times our members are physically threatened, harassed behind the wheel… a number of these assaults were also sexual assaults on our female members,” points out Davies.

Since 2006 drivers have had access to emergency communications. Video cameras have also been installed on all new buses coming in to service.

But Peter Arkell, Assault and WorkSafe Prevention Specialist at the Coast Mountain Bus Company says he is encouraged by the recent jail sentences handed to people convicted in incidents in which a transit operator was assaulted.

“These latest figures speak well of the work done by CMBC and its union to improve safety for our transit operators. Our Violence in the Workplace Committee and Transit Security have made great strides in this area.”

This will ease the pressure of car drivers,as we will no longer have to pay high gas prices/bridge tolls to pay for Elite out of touch Translink personel !

Yes their smug ignorant,arrogant faces mock the driving public with their $100,000 Poodle Statue (that alone should have dismantled Translink and sell them off to the public sector as they waste hard working peoples money on useless statues,and I cant believe no outrage !! Media is bought off by Translink obviously,only rational conclusion as every organization is bought out)

The majority of people do not want public transit,it is forced upon us,and just wait until they force more people into using transit the assaults on bus drivers willl increase ten-fold ,as will the transit ticket will cost more than owning/maintaining a vehicle !!

We need to axe the transit police and put more transit security on the buses. I rarely see transit police but I have transit security on a regular basis. That Jordan Bateman knows what he’s talking about.